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Co-op Program Directory

The Co-operative Education Directory is a comprehensive listing of the post-secondary co-operative education programs of member institutions in Canada.

Institution

Program Classification

Prov/State

Co-operative Education Definition

"Co operative Education Program" means a program which alternates periods of academic study with periods of work experience in appropriate fields of business, industry, government, social services and the professions in accordance with the following criteria:

Each work term is developed in partnership with the employer and approved by the co-operative education program as a suitable learning environment;

The student is engaged in productive work for which the student receives remuneration;

The student's performance in the workplace is supervised and evaluated by the student's employer;

The student's progress during their work term is monitored by the co-operative education program;

Both work and academic terms are full-time and follow a formalized sequence. The total amount of co-op work experience is normally at least 30% of the time spent in academic study. For programs of two years or less the total amount may be a minimum of 25%. A work term is defined as a minimum of 12 weeks and/or 420 hours full-time paid experience;

Co-op Programs begin and end on an academic term;

The student completing multiple work terms is normally exposed to the work environment during more than one season of the year.

*The Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada Definition criteria are intended for program design and reflect the Guiding Principles of the Co-operative Education accreditation requirements.

CEWIL Canada acknowledges and affirms the rights of students with disabilities to have equal access to co-operative education programming. Exceptions to the above will be supported to meet the duty to accommodate and ensure that all students have full and equal access of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Work-Integrated Learning Definition

“Work-integrated learning” is a model and process of curricular experiential education which formally and intentionally integrates a student’s academic studies within a workplace or practice setting. WIL experiences include an engaged partnership of at least: an academic institution, a host organization and a student. WIL can occur at the course or program level and includes the development of learning outcomes related to employability, personal agency and life-long learning.